Ladies Newsletter January 2018

January is finally over, the month with the long wait until payday! We have had some cross country this month, with the Ipswich event of the 53-12 series, Essex champs and the Southern xc champs as well. Of course, there has also been Benfleet 15, a race I have never done, nor intend to! Well done to all who took part in these events; it’s not easy to get out there at this time of year, in the cold, wind, rain and snow. We are lying 5th in the 53-12 league at the moment, so there is still all to play for with 2 races left to run. Let’s keep the flag flying for Bentley and try to hold on to our position! The next race is at Hadleigh on the 18th of February.

I would just like to mention Janine Simpson, who ran her 90th marathon this month, which is a pretty amazing achievement, and is aiming for London to be her 100th.

Ladies, our annual ‘cross country’ celebration is booked for February 17th; a bit on the early side, but the best date we could find where both Lorna and I could attend and with the least clashes. There is Hadleigh the next day, but think of it as carb loading and hydration. Our table at The Boadicea is booked and the deposit paid, and before that some of us are going to Aqua Springs for a couple of hours. If you aren’t coming to the meal but would like to join us, we are meeting at 3pm, just come along. If there are more that 10 of us, we will get a discount. Everyone is welcome; it doesn’t matter if you have run cross country or not. It’s just a chance to get together and relax.

Sunday is half marathon day! This is an important event on the club’s calendar, as the money we raise from this race funds our many events throughout the year, subsidising things like Thetford, and paying for our entries into cross country and Wix 5, plus helping to keep our subs as low as they are. If you are helping, please read the information Russ has emailed out; it’s on Facebook as well. Please attend the marshal brief so that you know exactly what you are doing on the day. Please also bake cake! Or make sausage rolls, or a few sandwiches, anything we can sell to hungry runners and their families. We have an excellent reputation for putting on a well organised and supported race, as well as great refreshments!

On to runner of the month, and as always, it’s a difficult choice. This month’s award goes to a lady who is always doing something, be it parkrun or elsewhere. She ran Benlfeet 15 this year in horrible conditions, mud galore, with rain, sleet and snow to top it off. Despite all this, she still managed to strip 9 minutes off her time from last year, gaining a bronze standard. Well done Debbie Cubberley!